Vacuum actuated positioning aids or devices are utilized in the operating room for positioning patients in the supine, prone and lateral positions. They are frequently used when the patient is in the lateral position, i.e., on his or her side, for a multitude of surgical procedures, such as brain, chest, kidney, shoulder and hip surgery, to name a few. The devices typically comprise a flexible air impervious bag containing small particles or beads which consolidate into a rigid mass when the bag is evacuated.
More specifically, devices of this type typically are filled with thousands of tiny, elastically deformable, generally spherical, polystyrene or plastic beads. When the device is in the soft (unevacuated) condition, the beads are free to move around so that the device can be molded to the patient's body. When air is removed (using a vacuum source), atmospheric pressure forces the beads together into a solid mass, positioning yet immobilizing the patient in the selected position. Allowing air back into the device returns it to its initial soft condition, ready for re-use. These positioning devices, sometimes referred to as bean bag positioners, typically have a generally square or rectangular shape and in some cases are provided with a U-shaped shoulder cutout located centrally along one edge.
Fabric-style devices also are used for positioning patients during exam or treatment. These devices typically are wrapped around one or more sections of the patient, and include one or more wide canvas flaps with adjustable Velcro™ straps. The flaps may be detached/unwrapped to allow a particular area of the patient to be selectively exposed for treatment. Foam pads and other positioning aids also are used to reduce pressure points and provide patient support during surgery.
During surgery, a patient's body temperature may drop, especially if the patient is in a state where the hypothalamus is not operative and the patient lacks the ability to shiver to generate heat. A standard way of regulating the patient's body temperature involves blowing warm air over the patient during surgery. In one example, a disposable paper double-layered blanket is placed over the top of a patient lying on an operating table. The bottom layer of the blanket includes several holes adjacent to the patient's skin. Warm air is blown into the blanket between the two layers and the warm air passes through the holes and warms the patient. However, the warm air blowing on the patient may not be sterile and can introduce contaminants to the operating area. In addition, this kind of warming blanket only warms the top surfaces of the patient and presents a waste and cost problem since the paper blankets must be disposed of after each operation. Thus, there is a need for an improved system to warm a patient during surgery.
There is also a need for an improved positioning system for surgery, especially surgeries in which the patient is supported on an inclined surgery table as, for example, when the patient is in the Trendelenburg, Reverse Trendelenburg or Lateral Oblique positions. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide an improved positioning and warming system for patients during surgery.